Legionnaires' disease was confirmed in 125 people who visited or passed within 500 m of the Melbourne Aquarium between 11 and 27 April 2000. The outbreak was linked to the Aquarium's contaminated air conditioning cooling towers.
Seventy-six per cent of the patients confirmed with Legionnaire's Disease were hospitalised and four died.
At the same time six cases were reported in Cobram. Although cases in small regional towns are relatively uncommon there was no known link to the Melbourne Aquarium outbreak.